Post by marinersmedia on Oct 23, 2009 12:26:04 GMT -5
Folke, Tiberi Went from Open Workout Standouts, to Key Members of Playoff Team
BALTIMORE, MD (October 23, 2009) – A pair of former Delaware high school stars, Matt Folke and Vince Tiberi, who made the leap from open workout walk-ons to key components of the Baltimore Mariners 2009 playoff team, both re-signed with the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) squad for the 2010 season.
“Matt came to us with good size, speed and arm strength last year at one of our open tryouts. We signed him and we never looked back. Thanks to a solid defense and high scoring offense by the
Mariners last season, Matt saw some quality playing time that most backup QB's never get to enjoy in indoor football. I don't expect Matt to come into camp content on being a backup without a fight for the
top spot,” said Mariners General Manager Greg Justice.
A star player for Newark, Delaware’s Glasgow High School, Folke earned All-County honors in his senior season for the Dragons and grabbed a coveted spot in the annual Delaware Blue-Gold All-Star Football Game. Following high school Folke went on to Delaware State, where he lettered for two seasons seeing action in seven games as a quarterback. In 2009, the Newark native saw action in six games as Baltimore’s #2 quarterback, as the Mariners earned the first playoff berth in franchise history.
Tiberi also excelled in Delaware at the prep level and made an immediate impact with the Mariners in 2009. The Middletown, Delaware resident lettered for four seasons at Middletown High School. As a senior in 2005 he was named to the All-State team from his linebacker position and notched a spot on the Blue-Gold team. He totaled 35 tackles and three interceptions in his final season with the Cavaliers. Tiberi then made the rare leap from high school star to professional football after being spotted in an open workout. For the 2009 season he also made the quick move from backup to one of the team’s top tacklers. Starting the season at only 20 years old, Tiberi finished the season ranked sixth in total tackles with 20.5, second in tackles for a loss with five, and also tallied 1.5 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and recovery, a touchdown, and two blocked kicks, in just ten games of action.
Justice noted of Tiberi, "Vince is one of those guys that was in the right place at the right time. The youngest member of the Mariners last year, Vince traveled for his first ever pro game to the Reading Express expecting to watch the game from the sidelines and debut as a long snapper if needed. Twenty minutes before kickoff a roster move moved Vince to second on the depth chart. Then, an injury occurred and Vince was thrown into the fire against the Reading Express. It took just two plays for Vince to make a game changing play and he never sat the bench again. I look forward to watching Vince compete in training camp and continue to learn and improve with every snap of the ball."
For more information about the Baltimore Mariners go to www.baltimoremariners.com.
BALTIMORE, MD (October 23, 2009) – A pair of former Delaware high school stars, Matt Folke and Vince Tiberi, who made the leap from open workout walk-ons to key components of the Baltimore Mariners 2009 playoff team, both re-signed with the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) squad for the 2010 season.
“Matt came to us with good size, speed and arm strength last year at one of our open tryouts. We signed him and we never looked back. Thanks to a solid defense and high scoring offense by the
Mariners last season, Matt saw some quality playing time that most backup QB's never get to enjoy in indoor football. I don't expect Matt to come into camp content on being a backup without a fight for the
top spot,” said Mariners General Manager Greg Justice.
A star player for Newark, Delaware’s Glasgow High School, Folke earned All-County honors in his senior season for the Dragons and grabbed a coveted spot in the annual Delaware Blue-Gold All-Star Football Game. Following high school Folke went on to Delaware State, where he lettered for two seasons seeing action in seven games as a quarterback. In 2009, the Newark native saw action in six games as Baltimore’s #2 quarterback, as the Mariners earned the first playoff berth in franchise history.
Tiberi also excelled in Delaware at the prep level and made an immediate impact with the Mariners in 2009. The Middletown, Delaware resident lettered for four seasons at Middletown High School. As a senior in 2005 he was named to the All-State team from his linebacker position and notched a spot on the Blue-Gold team. He totaled 35 tackles and three interceptions in his final season with the Cavaliers. Tiberi then made the rare leap from high school star to professional football after being spotted in an open workout. For the 2009 season he also made the quick move from backup to one of the team’s top tacklers. Starting the season at only 20 years old, Tiberi finished the season ranked sixth in total tackles with 20.5, second in tackles for a loss with five, and also tallied 1.5 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and recovery, a touchdown, and two blocked kicks, in just ten games of action.
Justice noted of Tiberi, "Vince is one of those guys that was in the right place at the right time. The youngest member of the Mariners last year, Vince traveled for his first ever pro game to the Reading Express expecting to watch the game from the sidelines and debut as a long snapper if needed. Twenty minutes before kickoff a roster move moved Vince to second on the depth chart. Then, an injury occurred and Vince was thrown into the fire against the Reading Express. It took just two plays for Vince to make a game changing play and he never sat the bench again. I look forward to watching Vince compete in training camp and continue to learn and improve with every snap of the ball."
For more information about the Baltimore Mariners go to www.baltimoremariners.com.